Coursework Candidature changes
Candidates who wish to vary their enrolment may do so by completing the Candidature Variation Form or Advanced Standing(Credit) and Exemption Form.doc and ensuring that all the necessary approvals are sought before forwarding it to the Postgraduate Student Administration Unit. Once received by the Unit, all candidature change requests are passed onto the Board of Postgraduate Studies in Dentistry, Medicine & Pharmacy for approval.
Requests must be received by the Postgraduate Student Administration Unit before 31 March (for changes to Semester 1) and 31 August (for changes to Semester 2). If a request is received after these deadlines, the change will take effect (if approved) in the following semester.
The Postgraduate Student Administration Unit will notify you in writing of the Board’s decision.
Below is a list of all possible candidature changes:
- Requesting credit
- Transferring your candidature to another degree
- Suspending your candidature
- Withdrawing from your course
- Adding or withdrawing from a unit of study
- Extending your candidature
Credit for cross institutional or non-award units of study can be sought. These units must be relevant to the course to which you are applying.
Credit for coursework should be requested by completing a Request for Advanced Standing (Credit) and Exemption Form and submitting this once you have successfully completed your cross-institutional or non-award unit of study. Such requests must be supported by documentary evidence of having enrolled and satisfactorily completed the relevant subject, such as certified transcripts, and course outlines to show the relevance of the subject.
The granting of credit is limited and for further details please refer to both your Course Coordinator and the Credit Policy of the Combined Board of Postgraduate Studies for the Faculties of Dentistry, Medicine and Pharmacy.
In some cases it is possible to transfer from one degree to another and obtain credit for work already completed. The Faculties of Dentistry, Medicine and Pharmacy offer several articulated coursework courses which enable students to upgrade to a higher degree with credit for units of study completed, subject to satisfactory progress and approval. For example, a student in the Faculty of Medicine may, on completion of the Graduate Certificate in Pain Management, upgrade to the Graduate Diploma in Medicine/Graduate Diploma of Science in Medicine (Pain Management) and then subsequently upgrade to the Master of Medicine/Master of Science in Medicine (Pain Management).
Please note that it is also possible to transfer from a higher degree to a lower degree. All students wishing to transfer to another degree within the Faculties of Dentistry, Medicine or Pharmacy should complete the Candidature Variation Form, indicating the degree that they wish to transfer from and to and obtain the approval of the course co-ordinator before submitting the form to the Postgraduate Student Administration Unit.
If you have to interrupt your candidature at any time after you have enrolled and commenced you must apply to suspend your candidature. Suspension of candidature is permitted for one semester or, in exceptional circumstances, for two semesters. You are not permitted to apply for a suspension once you have reached the latest date for completion of your degree. Requests for suspension must be made in advance and not retrospectively and reasons for the suspension must be given.
All students wishing to suspend their candidature should complete the Candidature Variation Form, indicating the semester(s) to which the suspension will apply and obtain the approval of their course co-ordinator before submitting the form to the Postgraduate Student Administration Unit.
If your circumstances are such that you are unable to continue with your studies or are unable to anticipate when you will be able to resume your candidature you should seek to withdraw from your candidature. Should you be able to resume at a later date you would have to re-apply for admission. Some credit might then be given for work that you had completed prior to your withdrawal, but you would, in effect, be commencing a new candidature. All students wishing to withdraw should complete the Candidature Variation Form and submit it to the Postgraduate Student Administration Unit. It is not necessary to obtain the course co-ordinator’s approval.
You can add a unit of study or withdraw from one via your MyUni account (http://myuni.usyd.edu.au/) any time up to the census date of the relevant semester (usually 31 March for semester 1 and 31 August for semester 2). If you have difficulties changing your units via your MyUni account and it is not beyond the relevant census dates then you will need to contact the Postgraduate Student Administration Unit.
Should it appear during your last year of candidature that you will not be able to complete the requirements by the latest date, you should apply for an extension of your candidature. Extensions are granted one semester at a time. Candidates granted an extension are expected to complete their degree by the end of the extension period. Candidates are not permitted to apply for a suspension during the extension period. All students needing an extension should complete the Candidature Variation Form, indicating why they do not expect to meet the deadline and referring to any difficulties that might have been experienced during the candidature. The application for an extension should also contain a realistic estimate of the time required to finish as well as the course co-ordinator’s approval. You cannot assume that an extension will be granted. Requests for extension must be made in advance and not retrospectively. The completed form should be submitted to the Postgraduate Student Administration Unit